Negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device, system and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device, system and method. The device comprises an ink container used to store ink, an ink injection channel, an aspirator and a suction channel communicated with the ink container, wherein one end of the ink injection channel is an ink inlet end while the other end is an ink outlet end connected with the ink cartridge to be refilled; a sucking opening connected with the aspirator is formed on the suction channel; and the inlet end is disposed above the ink level surface of the ink container. Therefore, the ink in the ink container cannot be overflowed via the ink injection channel regardless of the environmental factors, and thus the technical problem that the phenomenon of ink splash tends to occur when the traditional negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device is used by a user for the first time can be solved.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device for refilling ink into an ink cartridge to be refilled, comprising:
 an ink container, in which said ink container used for storing the ink to be refilled into said ink cartridge to be refilled; 
 an ink injection channel, in which said ink injection channel used for conveying the ink to said ink cartridge to be refilled; one end of said ink injection channel being an inlet end through which the ink in said ink container enters into said ink injection channel and the other end of said ink injection channel being an outlet end connected with said ink cartridge to be refilled; and when the ink cartridge is placed on the ink cartridge refilling device, said inlet end disposed above the ink level surface of said ink container; 
 an aspirator, in which said aspirator used for sucking air in said ink cartridge refilling device; and 
 a suction channel, in which said suction channel communicated with said ink container and provided with a sucking opening connected with said aspirator; 
 wherein said negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device also comprises an ink cartridge positioning mechanism connected with said ink container and used for fixing said ink cartridge to be refilled into said ink cartridge refilling device; 
 wherein said negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device also comprises an upper cover connected with said ink cartridge positioning mechanism; and a sealing component used for hermetically fixing said ink cartridge into said ink cartridge refilling device is also arranged on said upper cover. 
 
     
     
       2. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said inlet end and said sucking opening are respectively adjacent to or disposed on two opposite sidewalls on said ink container. 
     
     
       3. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein a clamping groove is formed on one sidewall of said ink cartridge positioning mechanism. 
     
     
       4. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said ink cartridge positioning mechanism and said ink container are either molded together as one part or joined by welding or clamping. 
     
     
       5. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein one end of said upper cover is articulated with one end of said ink cartridge positioning mechanism and the other end of said upper cover is provided with a clamping fastener engaged with said clamping groove. 
     
     
       6. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein a sealing mechanism used for sealing is arranged at said outlet end and consists of a seal ring, a rubber plug and a sleeve; a recess is formed inside said seal ring and engaged with said rubber plug; and said sleeve is engaged with said rubber plug. 
     
     
       7. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein said sucking opening is provided with a self-closed seal ring used for sealing. 
     
     
       8. A negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling system, comprising said ink cartridge to be refilled and said negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , and the ink cartridge is divided into a negative-pressure cavity and an ink cavity via a partition wall; and the negative-pressure cavity and the ink cavity are connected with each other via a communicating opening disposed under the partition wall, and the negative-pressure cavity includes an absorbing member for holding ink and an ink outlet for supplying ink to a printhead of a printer. 
     
     
       9. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling system according to  claim 8 , wherein said outlet end is disposed on the upstream along the ink-flow direction from the ink outlet to the communicating opening of said ink cartridge in the case of refilling. 
     
     
       10. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling system according to  claim 8 , wherein said outlet end is connected with said ink outlet. 
     
     
       11. A method for utilizing said negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling system according to  claim 10  for refilling, comprising the following steps of:
 A. rotating said negative-pressure refilling system until the ink outlet of the ink cartridge is disposed above the communicating opening; 
 B. allowing said aspirator to be connected with said sucking opening for negative-pressure ink injection; and 
 C. rotating said negative-pressure refilling device until said inlet end is disposed above the ink level surface of said ink container. 
 
     
     
       12. The refilling method according to  claim 11 , wherein said step B comprises the following steps of:
 a. pulling said aspirator to suck air in said ink container; and 
 b. loosening said aspirator, in which said ink cartridge to be refilled automatically absorbs the ink in said ink container due to the gas-pressure balance. 
 
     
     
       13. The refilling method according to  claim 11 , wherein said refilling method also comprises step D after said step C: removing said ink cartridge from said ink cartridge refilling device and sealing said outlet end via a sealing mechanism. 
     
     
       14. The refilling method according to  claim 13 , wherein said sealing mechanism is arranged at said outlet end and consists of a seal ring, a rubber plug and a sleeve; a recess is formed inside said seal ring and engaged with said rubber plug; and said sleeve is engaged with said rubber plug. 
     
     
       15. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the ink cartridge is divided into a negative-pressure cavity and an ink cavity via a partition wall; and the negative-pressure cavity and the ink cavity are connected with each other via a communicating opening disposed under the partition wall, and the negative-pressure cavity includes an absorbing member for holding ink and an ink outlet for supplying ink to a printhead of a printer; and wherein said outlet end is connected with the ink outlet of the ink cartridge, and the ink outlet is disposed above the communicating opening when the refilling device is used to refill the cartridge. 
     
     
       16. The negative-pressure ink cartridge refilling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction channel and the ink injection channel are respectively arranged at different positions of the ink container.